By Adam Halliday The Chief Minister had won from Serchhip and Hrangturzo constituencies.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla was on Wednesday unanimously
elected as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party. Following this
decision, Lal Thanhawla will be anointed the Chief Minister of the
state for the fifth time.

The swearing-in ceremony is slated to be held on Saturday. The
Congress veteran, who has been president since the party's inception in
the state, said his cabinet members and parliamentary secretaries would
be made known on the same day.

Although the swearing-in was initially planned to for an earlier
date, it became inconvenient because the final result for the Lawngtlai
East seat will only be available on Thursday. An EVM malfunction on
counting day has made a re-poll necessary in one station, scheduled for
Wednesday. The Congress candidate was leading on last count.

When asked if former finance minister H Liansailova, who lost in
the Assembly elections, would be the party's candidate during bypolls to
either of the two seats Lal Thanhawla has won, he said, "I think he
will be a good choice."

After H Liansailova's defeat was known on counting day, Lal
Thanhawla had said, "My happiness [over the Congress win] cannot be
complete."

The Chief Minister had won from Serchhip and Hrangturzo constituencies.

The Congress had won 33 seats in the Mizoram Assembly elections, counting of which was done on December 9.

Lal Thanhawla elected CLP leader in Mizoram

The Congress Legislature Party in Mizoram unanimously elected Lal Thanhawla as its leader at a meeting held here on Wednesday.

As the party's chief ministerial candidate, Lal Thanhawla is likely to call on the state governor on Thursday to stake claim to form the next government.

The oath taking ceremony is expected to be held on Saturday.

Lal Thanhawla is all set to be chief minister of Mizoram for a fifth term.

He won a seat in the Mizoram State Assembly from both Serchhip and Hrangturzo.

He was elected to the assembly for a record ninth time since 1978.

The Congress won a two-third majority in the Mizoram Assembly polls, winning 33 of 39 seats.